Making a poster about the dangers of drugs

This section is designed to give you a chance to practice your English by completing a project. You will first read a booklet warning young people of the dangers of drugs. You can learn some detailed information about drugs, their effects on the body or mind, and the legal punishments for carrying drugs. The purpose of this section is to encourage you to use what you have learnt to finish a project by working together. During the course of working on your posters, you will discuss what should be focused on and how to make your posters more attractive.

Part A: Reading

1. It is important for young people to know that drugs can be very dangerous. Have you ever seen a poster warning people about the dangers of drugs? Would you know what kind of information to include in this kind of poster? Your school is going to have a Health Week and you are asked to make some posters about the dangers of drugs. Before making your posters, you are going to read a booklet which warns young people of the dangers of drugs. The booklet will give you some information that can help them make their posters.

2. Read the passage carefully and try to answer the following questions.

(1) What are the different types of drugs?

(2) What are the effects of drugs on the body or mind?

(3) How do you think taking drugs affects the user’s family?

(4) What are the legal punishments for carrying drugs?

Answers:

1 There are three main classes of drugs: one class of drugs are called uppers, one class of drugs are called downers and one class of drugs is those that change the way people think and see the world, such as LSD.

2 These drugs have different effects on users’ bodies. Some drugs may make users feel happy and excited, while others can make users feel tired or see things that are not really three. Although these drugs can produce different reactions, they are all addictive, physically and /or psychologically.

3 Taking drugs can greatly affect the user’s family. If a family member is addicted to drugs, he or she may spend a lot of their money on drugs. The user’s behavior may also be affected and he or she may act very strangely. The family may become very upset at the user’s actions.

4 The legal punishments range from a small fine and a few days in prison to a large fine and the death penalty according to the type and quantity of drugs the person is carrying when caught by the police.

3. Read the whole article and find details under each point below:

The reasons/ causes for taking drugs

The effects or results of taking drugs

The punishments for carrying drugs

The assistances drugs users need

The reasons/ cause for taking drugs:

Because they are curious; to rebel against their families or society; to be accepted by friends who are drug users

The effects or results of taking drugs:

The effect of uppers: increase the heart rate and make users feel very energetic and happy; make users suffer from having a sore jaw, toothaches, difficulty sleeping, heart attacks, and, in some cases, death; make users suffer not feel hungry or thirsty

The effects of downers: decrease the heart rate and make users feel relaxed, sleepy, and forgetful, and cause headaches, depression, shallow breathing and weak pulse; can lead to death

The effect of drugs like LSD: cause people to see and /or hear things that are not real; increase blood sugar, heart rate and acute anxiety and cause extreme mood changed; users may commit suicide.

The common effects of the three groups of drugs: all addictive, physically and psychologically

The punishments for carrying drugs:

From a small fine and a few days in prison to a large fine and the death penalty according to the type and quantity of illegal drugs a person id carrying when caught by police

The assistance drug users need:

Admit their problem with drugs and seek help from a hospital or drug clinic; stay in hospital and take special medicines to help break addiction or ease withdrawal symptoms; have individual or group sessions with a psychologist

Part B: making a poster

1. Now you and your group are going to make a poster about the dangers of drugs for your school Health Week. Form your own groups of six and discuss what your poster will focus on and what you will need to do in preparation. You will also decide who will do each task in their group. The last four questions in Part B will help you.

2. Now it’s time to present your masterpiece to us! (Ask each group to present their poster to the whole class. Other groups can give their comments.)